As it is known, vitiligo is an autoimmune disease. In other words, it is a disease that develops with the loss of skin pigments, which are known to develop with the self-attack of the immune system, whose cause is not known exactly.
I don’t think we should be afraid of all autoimmune diseases like we used to. Because we can treat all of them with immunotherapy.
So is vitiligo. So how? In this article, I will tell you how this treatment is shaped on the basis.
Immunotherapy is immune system therapy in the treatment of vitiligo. If vitiligo occurs in a patient, there must be an underlying immune system problem or problems. Before starting the treatment, it is the main task of the immunotherapist to find and remove these problems, which are the architects of this underlying vitiligo, one by one. In order to do these, first of all, the patient sits down and talks at length, along with a good history of the disease, the whole real history and family genetics, that is, the family history, are researched.
After that, a detailed physical examination and a detailed examination of the thyroid gland with Thyroid Doppler USG should be performed.
The patient’s body temperature is very important in physical examination. We can understand the patient’s metabolic rate, whether the thyroid gland is working or not, from basal body temperature.
It is also very important to measure the oxygen level with pulse oximetry. The patient’s existing oxygen deficiency strengthens many prediagnoses.
Heart rate measurement or the presence of arrhythmia are also very important findings in these patients.
In physics, all systems are examined in great detail. Of course, the most important systems are the intestinal system and urinary tract.
Examination of the feet is of great importance. Nail changes are noted individually.
MANDATORY TESTS:
First of all, the most affected organs are the thyroid gland, pancreas, and liver axis. Intestinal flora analysis is a mandatory test for patients who apply for all immune system problems.
Individual regulation of nutrition is also obligatory.
It is necessary to investigate whether the patient has intolerance to foods such as gluten, lactose, fructose.
TREATMENT:
Some immune foods trigger vitiligo.
In addition, the presence of nutritional disorders is very important in the emergence of vitiligo disease.
We know that intestinal flora and vitamin absorption are impaired in all autoimmune rheumatic diseases. These defects need to be identified and corrected one by one.
The main disorder we usually see in the intestinal flora is the increase in candida and similar fungal opportunistic infections.
Various disorders are also observed in the intestinal aerobic and anaerobic flora.
When we look at the general stories of these patients, we learn that most of them had severe throat infections in their childhood or at some point in their lives, that many of them even had to have their tonsils removed, that they had a history of asthma in themselves or in their families, and that they were exposed to very intense antibiotic use.
It is unthinkable that the intestinal flora was not affected as a result of this dramatic story.
Therefore, when the intestinal flora analysis reports are examined, it is revealed to you with all the details of why he was completely infected with vitiligo.
Patients should be treated by considering factors such as vitamin deficiency levels, age, weight, and gender. The vitamin level ranges of us immunotherapists are not compatible with the standard ranges.
Because we treat autoimmune patients or immunocompromised patients. Therefore, we cannot use the laboratory standard ranges.
The most important principle in the treatment of patients is patient compliance. Because this is an expensive and arduous treatment.
If the patient will not comply, it should not start at all. He should receive regular treatment over a period of at least 2 to 6 months. This treatment can take up to 1 year.
He should regulate his diet. He should never smoke. Excessive alcohol consumption should be avoided.
Should not consume at all if possible.
Sugar sweet bakery products should definitely be stopped in patients. This is our common recommendation. Other than that, our recommendations are based on personalized tests.
Exercise is the most important element that we should bring into our lives. I give importance to exercises such as yoga pilates to all vitiligo patients.
It is important to eat plenty of vegetables and fruits.
Drinking plenty of water is preferred in terms of mineral intake.
Response to treatment begins in 2 months. If the underlying immunity, that is, immune problems, is very severe, it does not affect the speed of the treatment, it only prolongs the duration. In other words, the patient’s vitiligo spots heal, but in terms of permanent treatment, we extend the immunotherapy because if we cannot restore the immunity completely, the disease may come back or the patient may have problems with another immune system disease.
We know that vitiligo patients usually have another autoimmune disease.
For example; vitiligo+hashimoto thyroiditis is the most known association. Like vitiligo + MS (multiple sclerosis), vitiligo + inflammatory rheumatism or psoriasis ……
The best part of the immunotherapy is that while vitiligo heals, other autoimmune diseases are also healed. Because immunotherapy treats our immunity.
Whatever diseases are caused by the deterioration of our immunity, all of them will be on the way to recovery…
